The search for truth

I am becoming a cynic, just like the Captain. Much of this cynicism might have been influenced by the Captain himself, who often forces me to think beyond the borders, as it were. You readers have no idea of some of the royal arguments we have off this blog…. much on this blog pales in comparison.

I guess this cynicism came into play this morning when I saw a letter to the editor in the Newsday.

Much of the letter is irrelevant to the point I intend to make, so I will only quote applicable bits. The letter was written by one Simon Clement.

I feel the need to point out that the headline of the letter is quite misleading. The letter is not about the search for Noah’s Ark, but about the need for each of us to search out evidence and the truth for ourselves. Unfortunately, (in my opinion) the writer chose to liberally sprinkle his main argument with Biblical and other examples, thus squashing the objective he sought to focus on. The editors compounded the mistake with an idiotic headline.

That’s not the main point of my blog this morning though.

Mr Clement states:

What is interesting in that search for Noah's Ark is the dominant role of a male nurse anaesthetist named Ron Wyatt who became an amateur archaeologist, searched Koran and Bible amidst years of desk research, braved ethnic conflict and bullets from armed terrorists bent on kidnapping and murder, and organised a respected team of researchers who found the remains of an ancient three decked boat with 144 rooms/compartments and 13 stone anchors.

The truth exists. It may well be elusive to searches by one and all. Yet each diligent search involves the discovery of what is not true and this event and process eliminate some of the clutter hiding what is true.

He uses the example of the search for Noah’s Ark as one example of searching for the truth. I questioned the validity of this (I am always sceptical about Christian claims, no offence intended) so I went on to Google. Guess what?

Had he used Google (to search for the truth) he would have found out Ron Wyatt and his search for the Ark is a big hoax.

He proposes that each of us not rely on others to present us with the truth, but his very reckoning is misguided in that he himself did not do so. I am sure a better example would have strengthened his message immensely.

That being said, I add that I agree that we should question the information presented to us; all the lies, damn lies and statistics. Eternal vigilance!

Snow

I took these photos today after snow fell most of the day. Although it may not look it, the snow is deep enough to slide, or make snowmen etc.

Just for the heck of it, before Christmas we had made two little ‘uns. I guess you can say they’re snow pixies…

Some councils are reporting that they have no grit to put on roads, and schools may be closed tomorrow. They did close early today so children could get home before the roads got all clogged up…

Failing to surprise

It is no surprise, or at least it should not be a surprise, to find that the police dunceys have failed miserably in gaining (or keeping) the public’s trust.

The abysmal failure of the dunceys to successfully detect and solve crimes one factor. The attitude of these bastaads guardians of peace is another factor. Corruption, laziness… well, the list never really ends, does it?

This article failed to even surprise me this morning. That a coroner told the senior dunceys to get legal representation might be an indicator that even she believes the witness has some truth to her claims.

She [Erica John] insisted that what was written in her statement (that she could not identify the shooter) was inserted by the police.

Coroner Nalini Singh:

"Jivonne John and his mother, Erica John, went to the police station and told you what the police had done. They said they would be able to identify the shooter. "You told them it would not be included in their statement. They were of the firm belief of what they told you and which is not in their statements.

"In fact, it is the complete opposite. Your interest is now being affected. "This is not a pre-determination of the matter. What the witnesses are saying are that you tried to prevent them from giving the evidence, and to prevent them from saying what they had seen."

The question is, what charges will arise out of this inquest? I am keeping an eye out on this one.

He changed the world

Today is Newton’s birthday. We should remember a man who truly changed the world! Such genius is said to come once every 300 years or so. The world was blessed.

I say thanks to Newton and pay due regard to his life and work.

For more on Newton see:

1. Wikipedia

2.Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Most murderous; towards milk and honey

Well it’s supposed to be a New Year – everybody wishin’ everybody ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’, wid big grin on dey face – except me of course. I eh wish nobody Happy ‘nuthin’. I eh even send out a single pos’cyard, self. Why? To increase my carbon footprint and score brongney points (aka brownie points) wid people, and keep up appearance? Nah – I eh in dat. Who vex, vex.

Most people t’ink I need a dose o’ antidepressants or shock treatment or supm. Nahee! I happen to live in dee real world. Yes i’s a new year.. but i’s dee same ol’ khaki pants. So – whuhappen?

Well on dis supposedly Haaahpy New Year I’m suppose’ to be enjoyin’ - wid meh hypocritical Cheshire cat grin - I happen to glance dee TT Express. And there I am assaulted by reality. Eh heh? Yes – eh heh!!

1. Squandermania – Mary King - “During the property tax debate the Opposition charged that the Government squandered almost TT$300 billion over the last eight years or so… Our manufacturers, who have found it impossible to break into the global market, have cheap, subsidised energy as their competitive advantage. When the RIC recommended rate increases for T&TEC our Government stalled these increases for years and then allowed only certain sectors to have increases, all the while subsidising T&TEC. The subsidisation of energy, the use of cheap natural resources to foster industrialisation, including the proposed aluminium smelter, is economically inefficient - squander-mania.”
2. A breakdown in trust – Express Editorial - “James Philbert provided his own insight into the central theme of this latest report. He had disclosed that some 42,000 citizens had submitted applications for firearms licences. …Such a disclosure would have presented perhaps the most graphic clue to what this new report has revealed, that public trust in the ability of the state and its related agencies in crime fighting has plummeted.”
3. The challenge of hope in 2010 – Michael Harris - “And let me make it abundantly clear that when I speak of a problem of governmental incompetence I do not refer only to the current Manning administration. While this administration may very well be the worst we have ever had the truth is that all our governments have been fundamentally and essentially incompetent.”
4. Fire storm is a-coming – Rafique Shah - “People look and listen, and they do not like what they are seeing and hearing. It’s going to get worse in 2010. While the country’s economy is resilient to a great extent, we are sure to experience the fallout from wanton wastage during the years of plenty. More people will be on the breadline even as the ranks of the underemployed swell…. That, my friends, is where the seeds of revolt find fertile ground. I write with authority on this because I’ve been there, done that. A firestorm is a-coming. Fat-cat Taylor, beware.”
5. Bobol and the Chinese connection – Selwyn Ryan – giving an insight into how China is flooding the globe with cheap labour and how Dongkey Rock is falling victim to this.
6. Sorry we can’t join you Minister Joseph – Express Editorial - “Trinidad and Tobago still registers as one of the most murderous places on the planet, a distinction in which no citizen, least of all a Cabinet minister, should take pride.”

And eef dat eh bad enuff check “Crime numbers that eluded Martin Joseph”

Oh boy – dat sure as hell sets the stage for a lovely 2010 – don’t it? So all dem people who wish you Haaahpy Xmas and New Year and t’ing – what all dat count for? A temporary grin on dee face? Come nah man. I’s dee same tchune (aka tune) from laaas’ year! Nuthin’ to grin about.

Yuh know people often use the word ‘hope’ without thinking too much about it. But check the meaning of hope at TFD:  it is about wishing for something with expectation of its fulfilment. I might hope that a million bucks falls from space in my backyard on a cold day in winter, here in dee UK. It eh go happen doh. And likewise, allyuh dong on dat godforsaken rock hopin’ dat Kamla or somebody else go ‘take dee nation forward’. Well it boils dong to matter of opeenion. The reality is, that it is practically impossible to grow wholesome fruit from barren soil. [Ahm, ah talking figuratively eh – and not t’inkin about exceptions in concrete interpretations]. Ah had to mention dis because jes las night I was in skype convo wid annoda top lawyer dong on dee rock going, “Boy Kamla might tu’n t’ings arong eh” – or WTTE.

So – ah t’ink allyuh know what my outlook on 2010 is for Dongkey Rock. Well as a say – whilst I might moan ‘bout all dat, it’s gonna be pina coladas fuh me on dis side, dis year. Take care .. keep duckin’ and divin’! And don’t get caught by bullet or stray penis – right?

Crime numbers that eluded Martin Joseph

It's New Year's Day 2010, and all that was on my mind is the murder rate dropping and Martin Joseph beating his chest and saying that he kept his promise. The murder rate did in fact drop, based on the statistics reported by the Ministry of National Security.

I took some time out and did an internet search on crime statistics in T&T and stumbled upon the following website: http://www.ttps.gov.tt/Statistics/ tabid/141/Default.aspx.

This website gave some interesting statistics and many thanks to the Police Service and by extension the Government for having at least two years of serious crime statistics. Some persons may already know about this but for those who don't know it categorises and breaks down serious reported crimes that have occurred during the last two years with the exception of December 2009 (not updated as yet).

If we accept that the murder rate has decreased based on the reported statistics, then that is a good sign.

However, I decided to dig a bit deeper to look at the other serious crimes. Please note that these are 'reported' crimes, and naturally does not take account of the 'unreported' crimes that do occur mainly because people have absolutely lost faith in the Police Service given the widely known and accepted perception that there are pockets of the Service which are not functioning properly and officers are not performing as they should.

Anyway, some of the statistics were stunning. Total serious reported crimes were 16,758 for 2008 as opposed to 20,113 est. (made up of 18,437 to end of November 2009 plus an imputed amount of 1,679 being the average of January to November of 2009).

The Police Service Serious Crime Statistics are made up of crimes such as murders, woundings and shootings, burglaries and break-ins, narcotics, robberies, rape, incest and sexual offences, larceny etc. So let's look at this closely. Year over year, there has been approximately a 20 per cent increase in total serious crimes despite there being a decrease in the murder rate of just over seven per cent between 2008 and 2009.

I then looked at the statistics for burglaries and break-ins and found that there were 4,483 burglaries and break-ins in 2008 compared with 5,545 est. (5,083 to end of November 2009 plus an imputed amount of 462 being the average of January to November of 2009). This represents an increase of over 23 per cent year over year.

The same can be said for the category 'Robberies' where the reported robberies for 2008 were 4,737 as compared with 5,760 robberies in 2009 (5,280 to end of November 2009 plus and imputed amount of 480 being the average of January to November of 2009). This represents an increase of over 21 per cent year over year. I encourage the citizens to look at the other statistics as well and you can see that overall serious crimes have increased rather than decreased.

So for the people of T&T and in particular the diehard Government supporters, take a close look at what this says-not only the plus 20 per cent increase in serious reported crimes but the actual figure of total reported serious crimes in relation to our population and as compared to other countries.

Using an average of 20,000 reported serious crimes for 2009 and a population of 1.3 million people, serious crime affects one in every 65 persons (1,300,000 divided by 20,000) and making a further deduction from this, if we assume an average of four persons per family, then we're talking about one serious crime in every 16 families. For those who don't know it yet, crime is at your doorstep!

I would also advise the Minister of National Security that when he's making pronouncements on the crime situation that he should provide a total picture of the crime scourge in T&T and not only what would incorrectly portray him as apparently having some measure of control or reduction of/in crime. It is quite the opposite.

Until such time that there is a marked decrease in crime, I maintain that the Minister, with all due respect, is the most incompetent and has failed miserably. If the shirt fits for the Acting Police Commissioner as well, then by all means he should wear it.

Anand Heeraman

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From the Express Newspaper.

Trini singers of bygone years

Older Trinis may remember the famous duo Mac and Katie Kissoon who had a big hit in the past with Dream of Me.

Mac and Katie Kissoon later (and still do) provided backup vocals for some megastars of the music industry, like Eric Clapton, James Last etc.

And who can forget Wildfire? Their version of Old Man River is still the best I have heard. I was able to get a You-tube version of a medley that includes a part of the song.

Then there is the wonderful version of Say a Prayer.

Inside the Captain’s Cove

As some may have figured, the Captain works hard and plays hard - and of course IT is one of my favourite hobbies.

And when the Captain needs to chill like totally, this is where I go. No questions please - it's classified - but these photos are approved releases. Now you see that beach? It look jes like dat. Ahm dis is nuthin yuh could find in Mayaro and Tobago – dey get pass out long time. Um dis is like where Kofi Anan and Bill Clinton might be seen wandering when, like me, dey need to chillax!! LOL.

[Fuh those who eh know, yuh click and drag dee slider.. then click and drag the pictcha]

And yuh see dat pool dey – boy dat water real nice.  Um.. er.. no gyangs, gun totting psychopaths, or stray penis in deese areas - allyuh know the Captain doh hang in dem kinda areas! OMG.

Well this starts me off in the right mood for 2010. It’s gonna be sipping pina coladas this year! Wish me bon voyage!

Happy New Year 2010

For all Trinis, all over the world.

I wish every one of my readers, and their family, friends, and acquaintances, a very Happy New Year.

May you all have the enthusiasm, and grit, to work for all your endeavours to be a great success.